Imagine this: you walk into a supplier negotiation and the first demand is a 50% price cut. Most teams either laugh nervously or immediately defend their position…

Objections are not walls. They are windows.

Deadlocks are not the end of a negotiation. They are a signal. They tell you that all the easy moves are exhausted and the real issues are on the table.

Labelling works because it makes the unspoken explicit. Done well, it disarms tension and builds trust. Here’s how…

Two executives were bidding for the same regional contract. One framed their offer around cost savings. The other framed it around market expansion and risk reduction. Guess who won?

A subtle yet powerful technique, mirroring involves repeating key words or phrases from the other side. It prompts them to elaborate, often revealing more than intended. In fast-moving APAC negotiations, where silence is often underused, mirroring can create space for counterparts to disclose hidden priorities.

Anchoring is one of the most pervasive tactics in negotiation. The first number or term placed on the table often becomes the invisible benchmark against which all further discussion is measured. Even when the number is extreme, research shows it exerts a gravitational pull on the final outcome.